Going Once, Going Twice
by ghostgirl19
Summary: "Attention, guests. The time has come for our Date Auction!" Adrien froze. Date auction?


**A/N: Hey, so anyone remember that scene in Full House when Becky got into a bidding war for Jesse? Well, this is based off that scene.**

 **Or, if you don't know what I'm talking about, then go and watch some Full House right now because the show is so pure and funny and classic ;)**

* * *

 **Going Once, Going Twice…**

"Maybe I should wear this! No, it's too simple. Or maybe this! No, it's too fancy! Ugh, Alya, _help me_!"

Alya giggled at her best friend's frantic state. The poor ravenette had been trying to decide what to wear for a whole hour and still couldn't decide. Although she couldn't blame her for worrying. After all, her 'charming prince' was going to be there.

And you can be sure that she'll be getting _all_ the deets.

She shook her head with a smile as she wordlessly rose to her feet from the chaise and walked to Marinette's closet.

"Step aside, girl, and let the professional decide," she commanded with a grin, using her hand to lightly push the panicked girl to the side. She began to dig through the closet, determined to find the perfect dress that would make Adrien drool like a hungry puppy.

Tonight was the big fashion banquet that Adrien invited Nino, Alya, and Marinette to. It was a gathering of the members of the biggest fashion labels in Paris, and even in some other countries as well. Adrien's father allowed him to invite up to three people, and naturally he chose his three best friends…which didn't include a certain Chloe Bourgeois.

The blonde was extremely displeased to say the least.

Marinette was especially worried for two reasons. She had to impress Adrien with her outfit, _and_ multiple fashion moguls. This was her big chance to show the fashion industry what she had in her, and hopefully she'd be able to turn a few heads tonight with her clothing choice.

And, hopefully, just maybe, one of those heads would be Adrien's.

She couldn't believe he invited her at all. With how much she stuttered around him, she thought that he must think her to be weird and strange, definitely not someone to be around some of the most important people in Paris. But he surprised her, coming up to her with that gorgeously kind smile, asking if she'd like to go to-

"Got it!" came Alya's triumphant call, pulling Marinette out of her reverie. She stared wide-eyed at the cocktail dress her best friend pulled out, the dress that she got done making not all that long ago.

It was a light pastel pink, sleeveless although her chest and the tops of her shoulders were covered by the synthetic covering, housing intricate designs of bejeweled swirls and loops. The material covering her chest made the dress perfectly modest for the sweetheart neckline, also having the same beaded designs. The flowing, swishy skirt went to just above her knees, not too short but not too long either.

It was pretty, but not one of her more outgoing designs. It certainly didn't have the 'wow' factor she was aiming for tonight.

"Alya, are you sure?" she asked, looking at the dress with hesitation clear in her cerulean eyes. "It's not exactly my best-"

"Are you crazy?!" The Ladyblogger demanded, eyeing her friend with a scolding look. "This dress is adorable! Everyone will love it, including your model."

Marinette blushed at that claim. _Her model_ …

"Put it on, and don't you dare say otherwise," she grinned, wagging a finger at the unsure budding designer. "Trust me, there won't be one person that won't look at you."

She bit her lower lip, still in doubt. But she trusted her best friend, she knew what she was doing. And if she believed that this was the dress to wear, then maybe she should listen.

"Alright, if you say so," she mumbled and took it from her hands.

"Jeez, girl, lighten up," Alya goaded, smiling. "You don't want to be all miserable at the banquet, now do you? Come on, let's get ready."

…

"This is it, Plagg," Adrien declared confidently whilst straightening his dark green bowtie in the mirror. It went rather well with the pure black tuxedo he had on. "This is when I'll sweep my Lady off her feet, just like Cinderella and Prince Charming."

The kwami nibbled on his cheese with disinterest blatant in his dulled green eyes. "Yeah, sure, _Your Highness_ ," he remarked sarcastically.

It did nothing to deter the model's mood, however, as he shot a flirtatious smile to his reflection, winking and throwing up the finger guns. His hair was styled and shining perfectly, his face free of any sort of blemish (although that was rare in itself thanks to the model life's diet), and his clothing was pressed and devoid of any wrinkles.

He was never a vain person, but he would have to say that he looked rather handsome in that moment. He could only hope that Marinette would notice.

It had only been about two weeks since he's discovered his Lady's identity. It wasn't his fault, in all honesty. All of the pieces just slowly began clicking together. How much Marinette and Ladybug looked alike, sounded alike, how they were the same height and build…it was just too much of a coincidence.

He may or may not have followed her after an akuma attack to see her change back to prove it. He knew when she found out she'd be livid, but he was confident that in a few years she could laugh about it.

At first he wanted to just go to her the first chance he had to declare his love for her and reveal his own identity, but he doubted that would work very well. Marinette didn't necessarily like him, if her stuttering and running away from him was anything to go by. But tonight was the night he would successfully woo her and then they would live happily ever after.

Just like Cinderella and Prince Charming!

"You better get going if you don't want to keep your _Princess_ waiting," Plagg sneered after swallowing his last bite of cheese.

Adrien turned away from the mirror after one last look-over, nodding as he opened up his tuxedo jacket. Plagg, knowing the drill, wordlessly flew into one of the inside pockets, allowing his Chosen to close and button up the jacket.

"Yes," he spoke to himself, smirking. "We can't keep the Princess waiting, indeed."

…

"Now _this_ is what I call fancy," Alya observed, grinning as she gazed around the entrance room. Marinette nodded, taking a moment to appreciate the impressive view.

In the center stood a proud stone water fountain, with a chandelier high above to provide light to the whole room. Various nature paintings lined the walls, the wallpaper itself being a creamy white color. The carpet was a plush dark red, helping to make Marinette's feet feel more comfortable since she was wearing kitten heels.

The girls had to wait in a line in order to be officially in the banquet, but thankfully it was moving pretty fast. At last they reached the single, white-tableclothed table, hosting two, young strict-looking men.

"Names?" One inquired, raising a critical eyebrow as his eyes roamed up and down the friends' non-designer dresses.

"Alya Cesaire," the journalist informed, frowning. She didn't appreciate the man's judging look one bit. "And Marinette Dupain-Cheng. We're Adrien Agreste's guests."

The man's eyes widened upon hearing the famous model's name. Alya smirked as she noticed, with Marinette smiling in amusement.

"O-Of course. Go right in, Mademoiselles," he stuttered, gesturing with his arm toward the dining hall. Alya boldly thanked him and together she and Marinette walked through the doorway, all the while trying to stifle their giggles. Hopefully that would be a lesson for him on not to judge a book by its cover.

Marinette's jaw dropped upon seeing all the different fashion tycoons, her blue eyes recognizing each of them. There wasn't one she didn't recognize, not one where she couldn't pinpoint an outfit creation from.

"Close your mouth, girl, unless you want to be seen drooling," Alya teased, nudging her starstruck friend's arm with her elbow.

Marinette promptly closed her mouth with a sheepish grin. "Sorry. It's just so amazing to see all these designers!"

"I get it," she replied, chuckling because she _did_ understand. After all, she didn't doubt that if the room was filled with the most popular reporters and bloggers, she'd be as breathless as her friend currently was.

As the raven-haired girl's eyes travelled around the room, she managed to spot a head of styled, golden hair atop a tall boy's body. Her breath hitched as she observed the tuxedo that clung to his body in all the right places. This wasn't fair, she could handle Adrien in normal clothing (well, to an extent…) but she's never seen him in a tux before. There was no way to prepare herself for this beautiful sight!

Alya followed the lovestruck teen's gaze across the room, smirking as she recognized Adrien amongst a group of older men, most likely fellow fashion designers. Gabriel Agreste was doing most of the talking, she noticed, with his son only making occasional comments here and there, probably to be polite.

"And there's loverboy now," she taunted with a smirk practically dripping with mischief. "Let's go say hi to him!"

"No!" Marinette protested, Alya's words snapping her out of her fantasy. She bit her lower lip as her fingers started to nervously entwine themselves together. "I-I mean he looks pretty busy, we shouldn't bother him."

"Hm," she murmured, glancing back one more time to assess the situation. While she didn't admit it out loud, it looked like Marinette was right. Adrien did look to be busy with his father and maybe potential future fashion partners, and it would be pretty rude to just go up there and interrupt the conversation.

It didn't help that Gabriel Agreste was one of the most intimidating people known in all of France. Even Alya was uncomfortable around him, although she would never back down from him.

"Alright," she relented, triggering a sigh of relief from her best friend. "We'll wait until he's done. _Then_ we'll go over and say hi. I mean, he did invite us here, so he probably wants to see us."

Marinette nodded, cheeks tinted a soft pink as her thoughts went haywire with anticipation. Would Adrien like her dress? More importantly, would he like her?

"Dudes!"

Both girls turned to see Nino bounding up to them, wearing a tuxedo of his own only with a blue bowtie. But while Adrien's tux was perfectly pressed without a single wrinkle to be seen, Nino's was a bit ruffled. However, with his enthusiastic and outgoing personality, a bit of wrinkles suited him rather nicely.

Alya's tongue unconsciously darted out to wet her bottom lip upon seeing her cleaned-up boyfriend.

"Hey," he greeted her first, dropping his head to plant a quick kiss to her cheek. Marinette smiled; she always thought they made a sweet pair and loved seeing their affection for each other.

"Hey," she acknowledged, grinning in response to his greeting.

"Thank God you're both here," Nino moaned, releasing a tortured sigh. "Adrien's been busy all night, talking to designers with his dad. I've barely been able to speak two words to him!"

"Well hopefully he'll be free soon," Alya replied, sneaking a pointed glance to Marinette. Nino's eyes followed after her and he smirked quite deviously, something that the budding designer had rarely seen Nino do.

She gulped, knowing that now she had to worry about both Alya _and_ Nino pushing her to Adrien this evening.

"Anyways," Nino spoke, the smirk wiped clean off his face, being replaced by a warm smile. "Let's head to the table, my bud picked the best one for us. It's right by the stage!"

"Let's do it," Alya agreed, moving to take her boyfriend's hand as they started to walk off.

Marinette took a step forward, ready to follow, when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

Curious, she turned around to meet a boy she had never met before, nor could recall anything about.

He was a couple heads taller than her, with thick, black hair and dark brown eyes that reminded her of melted chocolate. He had a perfect beach tan, and a strong, chiseled jawline that served to accentuate his handsome features even more. His full lips parted to reveal a row of gleaming white teeth as he observed her startled stare.

"Hello," he greeted, his voice rich and almost resembling a purr. "I couldn't help but notice your…dress from across the room. It's very exquisite."

A relieved smile made its way to her face, for a moment there she thought he wanted to flirt with her.

"Thank you," she bid brightly, even performing a small twirl so the skirt swirled around her thighs. "I made it myself!"

During her twirl, she failed to notice his eyes quickly flicker from the exposed skin to her face again.

"Very impressive," he commented, the grin not leaving him. "What is your name?"

"Marinette," she answered. "And you?"

He blinked, clearly taken aback by her question. "You don't recognize me?"

She slightly tilted her head, studying him once again but still achieved no recognition of him. "Um, no?"

His inviting smile was put back in place before he answered her. "Valentin Le Corre…famous model?"

"Oh, sorry," Marinette apologized sheepishly. She should've known he was a model. If his looks weren't enough of a hint then the fact that this banquet was for only fashion designers and models was. "I admit I only look at the clothes, not really the model."

 _Unless if that model is Adrien Agreste_ , she added in her head.

"Well then you're missing out," he replied flirtatiously, momentarily making her pause in apprehension.

"Come, let me show your creation to my designer. I'm sure he'll love it."

Before she could even say anything, he took her by the crook of her arm and led her away. While normally she would've protested to being taken away without her agreeing to it, this time she didn't. She wanted her design to be seen, and who better than a famous model to show it off and compliment it? With someone (sort of?) in the industry backing her up, surely the designers would be more inclined to pay more attention to her, right?

…

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Nino questioned warily, hazel eyes not leaving the model and his friend.

"Trust me," Alya affirmed, stealing a look at the blond whose head just turned. "It'll work."

"Excuse me, Mademoiselle" a new voice interrupted, distracting the two from their musings. A waiter was smiling before their table with a clipboard in his hands.

"Would you like to sign up for the date auction for this evening? All proceeds will go towards Centre Animal de la Miséricorde."

"Date auction?" Alya repeated, raising an eyebrow. "What's that?"

"It's quite simple, really. Any woman who signs up will go to the stage when she is called, and then the guests will make bids to be her date for the rest of the evening."

"Hm," the blogger hummed, smirking as an idea came to her. "Sure! I'd love to sign up!"

Nino bit his lower lip, already worrying of the consequences of the plan no doubt brewing in his girlfriend's devious mind.

…

Once Adrien caught a glimpse of her, it was hard to look away.

The pink dress looked wonderful on her, it was modest yet alluring all the same. It accentuated her figure perfectly, and her dark hair was curled so enticingly that his fingers twitched with the desire to run them through such luxurious locks.

But however wonderful she looked, he couldn't help but be angry.

Because Valentin Le Corre, second only to himself in fame and looks (at least, he didn't think so. All the magazines totally thought that) was leading around his Princess, parading her around and showing her off to countless designers.

He didn't mind that, her designs were amazing and deserved to be showed off.

But did he have to have his hand constantly on the small of her back as she obliviously spoke to the others around her? When leading her away, did he have to hold the crook of her arm like that? Was it necessary to be consistently leaning in closer to her face to whisper something to her, and to have his eyes trained on her the whole time?

He found himself unconsciously glaring at the unsuspecting teens.

"Adrien?" his father suddenly called, drawing away his attention from them. "Are you alright?"

He turned his head back, mentally releasing an annoyed sigh.

"I'm fine, Father," he replied with his camera smile in place. "I'm sorry, I just got distracted for a moment."

Gabriel raised his sights to the girl in the pink dress he knew his son was staring at. Before he called for his attention he had noticed the way Adrien's posture became more rigid and how his hands clenched into agitated fists.

And then he had noticed the male model beside her lean in to whisper in her ear.

The ghost of a smirk flitted across his features for a split second before it made way for the impassive frown he consistently wore.

He was young once, he knew the signs of jealousy. And he knew that it could bring out a dark side to a normally calm and rational man. He had to admit, this new development in his son seemed pretty interesting.

"Actually, Father, I was wondering if maybe I can-" Adrien started, already turning towards the girl in the pink dress as if to go after her, when Gabriel placed a hand on his shoulder in a sign to stop.

"I don't think so, we still have plenty to discuss," he answered in the controlled, cool voice he always spoke with, gesturing to the three designers in front of him who looked a bit awkward at this point.

Adrien forced his lips to part in a smile. "Of course, Father."

…

He was almost at his wit's end.

Every time the conversation seemed to be dying down, and Adrien would politely try excusing himself from the group, his father would start a whole new discussion to keep him pinned there.

He was almost twitching with the need to go to Marinette and pry her away from Valentin's hold. He wasn't sure how much longer he could simply watch their interactions from afar and not erupt in a fire of jealousy.

That's right, he was jealous. He had admitted it a while ago, now, and knew that without a doubt he was jealous. He tried almost every excuse in the book to get away from his father, but alas the man seemed to be too dense to clue in to his son's desire for escape.

He thought he finally had his chance when it was announced that dinner would soon commence, and that patrons should be seated at their tables. He started to walk to Nino's, the place where he was already supposed to sit, when his father pulled him to _his_ table!

Which left him fuming in the distance while he watched Valentin plop himself right beside the black-haired beauty.

Adrien took a deep breath through his nose before quietly letting it out through his mouth.

It would be okay. It was only one night, he would only be here with Marinette for one night and after that he'd go back to wherever modelling agency he came from. They would never interact again, and he could approach her as Adrien on Monday during school. Or he could try to visit her as Chat Noir tonight or the next. Both were plausible options.

But what if she liked Valentin, fell in love with him, and started to date him by the end of the banquet?

He had to get away, now!

"Father-"

"Shh, an announcement is about to be made."

"Attention, guests. The time has come for our Date Auction!"

Adrien froze.

Date auction?

...

Marinette smiled, breathing a sigh of relief knowing that there was no way she could've signed up for the auction while Valentin was leading her around.

Speaking of, she was beginning to get a little uncomfortable around the male model. The way he would always have his hand on her, whether it was on the small of her back or her arm, to the way he whispered things in her ear when it wasn't necessary at all, and how sometimes he would cheekily wink at her.

She was used to flirting, Chat Noir flirted with her as Ladybug during every patrol and akuma attack. However, while his was playful and teasing that she could easily brush off, Valentin's just gave her a creepy vibe.

It didn't help matters when he decided to sit at her table, right beside her, for the dinner. She had hoped that Alya and Nino would try kicking him out, but they weren't any help at all. They actually welcomed him!

So when the auction was announced, she was so happy to know that she wouldn't be in it, knowing that Valentin would, without a doubt, bid on her. And he would, without a doubt, win because he was the second-richest model here.

Adrien was the first, but she knew that there was no way he would try winning an evening with her.

"It's a shame that you're not going to be in the auction," Valentin mused, leaning on his fist while wearing a predatory grin that sent an uncomfortable shiver up her spine.

She forced a laugh out of her throat. "Yeah, what a shame..."

And then-

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng!"

The ravenette blanched.

What?!

How-when-?

But one look at Alya's smirking face was all the explanation she needed.

"Alya!" she hissed through gritted teeth. How could she do this to her?!

"Better get up there, girl, can't keep the boys waiting," Alya goaded, still wearing that shit-eating smirk.

"I'm going to kill you," she ground out through clenched teeth, yet stood anyway. She couldn't believe her best friend would put her on the spot like this. Wasn't that against girl code?

"Don't worry, my darling. You're guaranteed to have at least one bid for you," Valentin assured, giving her a wink as well. His words did nothing to comfort her, in fact she had to fight down the bile in her throat as she walked to the stage.

Valentin was going to win the date with her, and then they would have to sit alone where she would constantly have to be subjected to his flirting until the evening was over. She wished she could transform into Ladybug and swing out of here.

Once on the stage, she squinted from the spotlight's harsh rays. And then, came the questioning.

How old was she? 16.

What year was she? Junior.

Future plans? Become a fashion designer.

"Alright," the man with the microphone said at last, turning to the audience with a jovial grin. "Do I hear 100 euros?"

…

Adrien gripped his fork as many men in the audience raised their hands. He wanted to try to win the date, but his father didn't like to waste his money on 'frivolous things'. And he had a suspicion that a human being was a 'frivolous' thing in his father's eyes.

He closed his eyes and counted to ten as the offers went higher.

He could handle this. No problem. It was only a harmless date-that-wasn't-really-a-date. He wouldn't lose her like this, she wouldn't fall for the random guy who happened to win.

"10,000 euros!" Valentin suddenly shouted, prompting him to snap open his eyes to look at the boy with astonishment. His stomach sunk in dread as he noticed no one else make a move to counter his bid.

…

Marinette blinked. Alya's mouth dropped, yet she still managed to not drop her recording phone in her shock.

10,000 euros for a date with her? Her? She was flattered, yes, but she wished that someone other than Valentin made the offer.

She bit her bottom lip as she noticed no one else speak to raise the bid. In fact, the audience was gaping at the grinning model, and soon they began to erupt in applause.

"10,000 euros, my that is quite a donation," the announcer commented, chuckling. "Alright, 10,000 euros it is! Would anyone like to bid 11,000?"

.

Adrien couldn't redirect his harsh glare off the obviously smug Valentin. He would've been relatively fine if anyone else won Marinette, if not a little jealous. But the man that had been latched onto her the whole night thus far winning?

Now he was downright pissed.

.

"I see no other offers. Going once…"

Marinette frowned, looking down at the floor in front of her, trying to brace herself for the uncomfortable night ahead of her.

Valentin smirked as he stood from his seat and strutted to the stage. When he arrived to his destination beside her he didn't look away from her eyes as he took her hand, and placed a kiss on her knuckles. She was too surprised to wrench her hand from his hold.

"Going twice…"

"11,000!"

Marinette's head whipped up at the sound of the new voice. When she saw who it came from, she almost passed out from shock.

Everyone's mouths dropped at the sight of the normally quiet Agreste heir, standing from his chair with green, flaming eyes aimed at Valentin Le Corre.

The aspiring designer could barely breathe. Adrien bid on her? Her Adrien? The love of her life, Adrien? This was almost too good to be true! And he bid 11,000 euros for her? It was a miracle she wasn't a pile of goo on the floor.

Valentin could practically see the hearts in her eyes, eliciting a scowl from the model.

"12,000," he growled.

"13,000," Adrien fired back, now making his way to the stage. Marinette could only stare at him, jaw dropped. Was he really going to fight for her? Well, bid fight for her? Was she dreaming?

Valentin's eyes widened, looking positively offended at how the blond was now stepping up to the stage. The audience's eyes gleamed in anticipation for what would undoubtedly be a good show.

"14,000!"

"15,000," Adrien declared, taking Marinette gently by the arm to get her away from Valentin's hold. He let go afterwards, the whole time not taking his determined gaze off his rival.

She wasn't sure who to look at, the whole time her head kept going back and forth between the two competing boys.

"16,000," Valentin countered, crossing his arms in front of his chest with a self-satisfied smirk. There was no way the blond would go any higher, not for a simple not-so date with a girl. His father wouldn't allow him to spend his money so foolishly.

Adrien's lips curled up dangerously, making his opponent nervously begin to rethink his previous thought.

"20,000 euros."

The crowd gasped.

Valentin paled.

Marinette swayed, very nearly blacking out but the threatening scowl from Alya that screamed 'girl I swear to God if you faint now…' was enough to resuscitate her.

Adrien crossed his arms together, presenting his rival with a smug grin he only wore when beating the fiercest akuma. He won and he knew it.

Valentin scowled. "Fine. Take her, I could never explain 21,000 euros to my girlfriend." And with that, he stomped off the stage toward his pre-assigned table for the night.

Both teens paused to think of that particular statement.

"20,000 euros, it's a new record!" the announcer shouted into the microphone excitedly, prompting another applause from the audience. "Do I hear 21? Going once, going twice..."

No one dared to challenge him, already knowing that it would be a lost cause. After all, the Agrestes were always known for their perseverance and how they would stop at nothing to win.

"Sold, for 20,000 euros!"

Marinette could hardly believe it. Adrien won her, he fought for her and he won. Was she dreaming? Surely she had to be dreaming?

However, when she discreetly pinched her arm, she found that this was indeed reality.

Adrien held out his hand with a sheepish smile, a light blush dusting his cheeks as he invited her to take his hand. With a small blush of her own she did, and he proceeded to lead them out to their table with Alya and Nino before they would have to go to a private one set aside for the auction winners.

.

Gabriel couldn't control the grin that gradually made its way to his features. Quietly, he reached into his jacket pocket for his checkbook.

.

As Marinette grabbed her purse, Alya was just setting down her phone.

"Don't worry, I got it _all_ ," the auburn-haired girl promised, grinning up at her friend with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

"Alya," she whispered shrilly, though not high enough for Adrien to hear, who was talking with Nino. "Adrien just spent 20,000 euros for a date with me! Does this mean he might actually like me?! What do I say, what do I do?!"

"Calm down," she commanded, patting her panicking friend's hand. "Just don't stutter and act normal, and you'll be fine. And I think any boy that would spend that much money for an evening with you is a dead giveaway for their feelings for you."

Ho-ly shit.

She was doomed.

Meanwhile, Nino was covering his mouth with his hand, desperately trying to muffle the snickers still managing to escape.

"What's so funny?" Adrien hissed, levelling a glare at his best friend.

The DJ snorted. "You paid 20,000 euros for a date with Marinette…when you could've had her for _free_!" With that he dissolved into another fit of laughter.

Wait. Huh?

The blond stood rigidly still at this new information. Did this mean-?

"Uh, Adrien? If-um-"

He turned to see his date shyly glancing up at him through her lashes, nervously clutching the strap of her purse in her hand and a blush lighting up her cheeks. She was so adorable, it wasn't fair.

"If you want to-um-head out to the table now…? Unless you don't want to, of course! You don't have to do anything! We can stay right here, no problem!"

Going by the way Alya narrowed her eyes at the stuttering girl, there would most definitely bea problem if they stayed.

Besides, he didn't want to stay. He just paid all those euros for a date with her, he at least wanted some alone time with her.

"No, I don't think I want to sit here," he replied, flashing her a charming grin. "I won you, and I want to be alone with you."

He mentally cringed after the flirtatious line slipped out of his mouth. Did that sound too demanding? Like he had some type of authority over her? It wasn't meant like that! Great, now she probably thinks he's some controlling jerk.

Her bluebell eyes widened as a new red tint painted her cheeks.

"Uh, l-let's just head over there," he stammered, holding out his arm for her to take. He didn't think she would, but he offered anyway for propriety's sake.

To his surprise she took his offered arm, letting him lead her away toward the back of the hall, where other table-for-two's were set up. Some of the couples were already there, with more soon to come by the end of the auction.

The two sat, awkwardly staring at anything other than each other. Both of them tried to find something to say, but the only thing on either of their minds was the auction and the startling cost it took to win her.

At last, Adrien cleared his throat, preparing to say something only to find that Marinette had opened her mouth.

"No, you go," they said simultaneously.

But Adrien was a gentleman, and he would always let the lady speak first. Besides, he would honestly love to hear her talk for the rest of the night if he could. She had a cute voice, and a dangerous one when fighting akumas…it was the perfect combination.

"No, you, I insist," he tried again, yet found the girl's voice echoing him.

They paused, as if just now realizing how awkward this all was, and burst out into carefree laughter.

The blond cleared his throat once more to try after having calmed down. "Seriously, what were you going to say, Marinette?"

Her lips stretched into a warm smile. "I was just going to say thank you for inviting me here. It was so amazing meeting all those designers." She sighed, her eyes taking on a dream-like quality. "And so many of them liked my dress! Can you believe it?"

"I can believe it. You're very talented, Marinette," he answered with a smile of his own.

Her cheeks grew pink as she briefly looked away. "Thank you."

"Anytime. And I just wanted to say that I'm glad you came here tonight. It's nice to hang out with you."

"Too you! I-I mean you too!" she replied, slightly grimacing because of her stutter but her companion hardly noticed her momentary blunder, instead he was too focused on the way her eyes almost seemed to sparkle. And were they always that blue?

"Adrien?" she quietly called in confusion, noticing the far-away look in his eyes.

He blinked, her voice bringing him back to the real world. "Yeah, Mari?"

"Nothing…ah-nothing."

A frown tugged the edges of his lips down. This was going nowhere. He wanted to sweep his Lady off her feet tonight and here they were talking like casual friends. Maybe he needed to push a little bit, let her know he was interested without sounding like a pretentious douchebag.

"You do look beautiful tonight," he complimented. "That dress looks amazing on you."

That was good, right? Ugh, where was his Chat Noir confidence when he needed it?

She blinked, her mouth popping open in a small 'o'.

"Oh, um-thank you, A-Adrien."

"You're welcome, my Lady."

Oops. Shit, he didn't mean to say that! Not now, anyway. Would she notice?

Her sapphire eyes widened, and stayed that way for a few, tense seconds. Neither of them spoke, Adrien was afraid of saying something to doom him further. He didn't want the reveal to happen like this, not by a slip of the tongue. Ugh, he was so stupid!

"Uh-yeah…" she replied instead of gasping his superhero name in shock.

Huh?

To his amazement, she looked like she just completely brushed off the nickname and thought nothing of it! Although, he didn't know whether to slap his forehead at her obliviousness or thank his lucky stars.

So far, he was sort of in-between.

"Actually, Adrien…c-can I ask you something?" Marinette asked, her voice timid and slightly shaky.

He instantly felt bad that she had that kind of nervous tone around him. What did he do to make her so fearful of him? He wanted to comfort her, assure her that she could ask him anything.

And so he did. Kind of.

"Yeah, Marinette, you can ask me anything," he casually confided with her. He really wanted to say that in a more serious tone, make it a little more romantic, but he didn't really think that now was the best time for it.

She was quiet for a few moments. Her tongue poked out of her mouth to lick her lips as she played with her fingers clasped in front of her.

A small hint of red covered Adrien's cheeks as he lowered his gaze to the table.

Finally, she heaved out a sigh and dared to meet his expectant gaze.

"Why did you spend 20,000 euros just for an evening with me?"

Well, as the Americans say, there was the million dollar question. And now, how to answer it without sounding like a pathetic, lovestruck, jealous fool?

Hmm...maybe it was finally time to come out with it? He was finding it hard to still keep the secret of him knowing her identity, and he wanted things to advance between them already. Well, providing she actually liked him, that is.

"The truth is, Marinette," he began, his eyes flickering to her hands. He paused his confession to reach across the table with his own hand to entwine his fingers with hers. Her eyes looked down at their joined hands, then snapped back up to his hesitant gaze. Her mouth was partially open and her eyes were blown wide, but she didn't push him away. That seemed to be a good sign.

"The truth is that I-well, like you." He let out an anxious chuckle as he scratched the back of his neck. "A lot. And…there's something else you should know. I know who you really are, _my Lady_."

Her eyes squinted for a second in suspicion, until they were as wide as dinner plates once again. Now her jaw was fully open, as she sucked in a harsh breath of disbelief.

"Kitty?!" she squeaked.

Adrien visibly winced. Was she disappointed it was him?

"Yes. It's me, Princess."

Her mouth repeatedly opened and closed, resulting in her resembling a gaping fish.

At least she didn't look angry or sad. Surprised was relatively good, she wasn't pushing him away.

At least, he didn't think so until she stood out of her chair.

Oh no.

"We should talk about this someplace more private," she declared, her blue eyes shifting around her at all the people.

He waited to let out a breath of relief before he nodded, thinking she was right. "Yeah, we should." Rising out of his chair, he bent into a bow and extended his hand. "After you, my Lady."

A small smile adorned her features as she accepted and went on ahead of him, out of the hall. He followed suit, very soon appearing at her side.

"There's a coat room no one is using now, since it's warm outside. We can talk in there, if you want," he informed.

"That would be good," she agreed, and Adrien didn't waste any time in directing her to the room in question. Once there, he looked around once to make sure no one was around them. Finding it to be safe, he ushered her inside and closed the door behind them.

"So," she began, crossing her arms to try to distance herself. "How long have you known?"

"Two weeks," he admitted, almost ashamedly. "It wasn't really my fault, all the pieces just sort of clicked together. Although, I may have followed you after an akuma to make sure." He chuckled shakily, his Adam's apple bobbing as he gulped in fear for her reaction.

Would she yell? Hit him? Turn him into a Sphynx cat instead of a black cat? The possibilities were endless, and he had no doubt that she was smart enough to come up with a creative way to kill him.

"Let me get this straight," she said after a minute of thought. "You suspected it was me, and ended up following me to confirm it."

"Yep," he replied, shrugging his shoulders and flashing her a cheeky, sheepish smile.

"And…you like me."

"Yes," he answered, in a more serious tone this time. "And before you start thinking otherwise, I like _you_. No matter whether you're covered in spots or not."

He took a step closer to take her hand. She gaped up at him in response, waiting for the next words to roll off his tongue.

"You are Ladybug, and Ladybug is you. Two halves of an amazing girl, one I could only hope to be with." He brought her knuckles to his lips to seal the promise, eliciting a tiny gasp out of her throat.

"W-Well, then, I should be honest with you, as well," she stammered, her cheeks already housing a brilliant red hue. "I like you too, the model _and_ the hero that makes cheesy puns." A small grin quirked the edges of her lips up.

Adrien fixed his expression to look comically affronted, as he sucked in an over-dramatic breath.

"My Lady! My puns are _paw_ some! Surely you must pre _fur_ them over any old, boring joke. It takes a _purr_ ticular kind of talent to make a good pun."

Marinette rolled her eyes good-naturedly, as she took hold of his cheeks with her hands. With his Chat Noir personality showing, it gave her the courage to be bolder. He looked at her with curiosity swimming in those green depths she'd always loved, as his face grew warmer under her hands.

A corner of her mouth curled up. "Don't make me regret this," she purred out in a sultry voice before bringing their lips together.

Adrien squeaked in surprise, but was able to gather himself together in time in order to properly kiss her back.

It felt _amazing_. She tasted like vanilla and sugar, and although the lipstick she wore was included (and would probably get all over his lips, in the process) it didn't matter to him. He managed enough coherent thought to wrap an arm around her waist to bring her closer, and use his other to gently cup the back of her neck.

Without breaking the heated kiss he tilted her head back, allowing them to connect at a better angle. One they both appreciated, given their simultaneous pleasured moans.

Pulling away to breathe, he didn't waste time to drag his lips down to her neck, where he started to pepper the milky skin with kisses. She tilted her head back further to give him better access, which he took full advantage of.

In the back of his mind, where it was less cloudy, a part of him could scarcely believe he was finally kissing the love of his life. His Lady, his Princess, she was right here and accepting of him and kissing him back.

If this was a dream, he would kill whoever it was that woke him up.

But it wasn't a dream. It would be too cruel to have something so beautiful and then have it cruelly ripped away from him.

He wasn't aware of the door opening, not until he heard an excited gasp.

Quickly, he detached himself from Marinette's pulse point (that she was absolutely loving, given her breathy sighs and how she tugged harder on his hair) and whipped his head around to see Nino, Alya, and _his father_ all standing in the doorway.

He knew the look on his face could be described as pure horror. It would be one thing having his friends discovering them, but his father? His father that would yell if anything were to possibly tarnish the Agreste name? It was one of his worst nightmares.

The other one being the scenario of Chloe really being Ladybug.

An involuntary, disgusted shiver went down his spine. Just the thought of that bad dream was enough to make him uncomfortable.

Marinette suddenly squeaked in mortification from behind him, her head peeking out to the side to embarrassingly observe the intruders.

Oh, right. Back to the situation at hand.

"Uh, h-hey, guys. Um, Father?" he tried, giving the man in question an overly large, overly toothy smile.

Nino and Alya's jaws were almost down to the floor. But while Nino looked to be stuck in an endless loop of astonishment, Alya looked positively ecstatic. It wasn't long until her phone made an appearance to snap a picture of the blushing couple.

"Adrien," Gabriel addressed at last, causing his son to straighten and a frown to mar his handsome features.

He would take responsibility for this. He'd accept whatever punishment his father had with no complaints, no protests.

"Make sure when you're done to make yourself look presentable. I will not have you be seen with ruffled clothes and lipstick markings on your face. Also, lock the door. I don't want anyone else possibly seeing you in this compromising position." And with those cold, emotionless words the older man briskly walked away, hands still clasped professionally behind his back.

Now it was Adrien's turn for his jaw to drop and his eyes to almost bulge out of his head.

Did he just hear that right? His father virtually didn't care that he was making out in a closet with a girl he only met a few times?

Okay, maybe this was all a crazy dream. Because Hell would have had to have been frozen over for his father not to care about this.

"Dude!" Nino exclaimed, garnering the blond's attention and successfully dragging him out of his bewildered thoughts. "Your Pops doesn't even care!"

"Well I sure as hell do," Alya squealed, taking the opportunity to take a few more pictures. "Don't worry, Marinette. I'll print these out and then we can make a scrapbook out of them. I can't believe my ship is finally happening!"

"I can't believe it either," Nino concurred numbly.

Marinette buried her head in his chest with a strangled groan.

Okay, Adrien was starting to get tired of this. Yes, he knew it was a monumental moment, but he would prefer to talk about it some other time. Preferably, not while he's in the middle of kissing the love of his life. He wasn't even remotely finished with her yet, he had a few years to catch up on.

And he had a feeling that Marinette agreed with him.

He separated himself from Marinette to walk to the door, where he held onto the width of it with a single hand.

"Say, guys, how about you come back in…oh, I don't know, around three hours?" he suggested brightly.

Nino squinted his eyes in confusion.

"But, dude, the banquet ends in two hours-"

"Exactly." Adrien winked, before shutting the door in his friends' faces. He promptly locked it, afterwards turning back around to Marinette with a sly grin.

"Now, where were we?"

Her embarrassed appearance melted away to make room for an expression equally matching his own. In a move she only ever thought she would make in her more passionate dreams, she crooked out her index finger to beckon him closer.

"Come here, and I'll show you."

* * *

 **A/N: This took forever to write, I really hope you guys liked it!**

 **p.s. I 100% think that Adrien has had a nightmare of Chloe being Ladybug at one point xD**

 **p.p.s. About the part of Mari turning Adrien into a Sphynx cat, he was referring to how they're known to be hairless cats. So by turning him into a Sphynx cat, she would be skinning the fur off him alive xD**


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